Do You Hear What I Hear?

Holiday music is inescapable this time of year, but if you’re tired of hearing the same old standards, you might discover a new favorite during Jon Solomon’s 35th annual 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show. (He’s only missed one year — when he went to the 1996 Rose Bowl to cheer on the Wildcats.)

Beginning at 5 p.m. EST on Christmas Eve, Solomon ’95 will spend 25 hours live on-air, showcasing his extensive and carefully curated collection of holiday music on WPRB-FM, Princeton University’s student-run radio station. His repeat-free 300-song playlist — pulled from a collection of more than 10,000 songs — covers everything from classics to obscure finds, like Lindstrøm’s 45-minute version of “Little Drummer Boy” and the 1965 album Merry Christmas From the Sonics, the Wailers, the Galaxies, a compendium from three garage rock bands.

Solomon also features submissions from his listeners, including covers, original songs, sound collages and readings of Christmas stories. “I give people free rein, and it’s great to see what they come up with,” says Solomon.

This will be his fourth year doing the show from the comfort of home. Like many radio stations, WPRB is located underground. “Doing a 25-hour show from there is like being in a casino,” he says. He much prefers to see the sun. Then, when it’s all over, he can go straight to bed for some much-needed rest.

Broadcasting from home also gives Solomon’s family, including his 15-year-old daughter, Maggie, the opportunity to join in on the fun. “We’ve now reached the benchmark where [she] is the same age as I was the first year I did this,” says Solomon, who started the show while in high school in 1988. Maggie will DJ “Reindeer Rumble,” her own hourlong segment of this year’s show.

Solomon’s wife, Nicole, has made appearances over the years as well. In fact, during the 2003 broadcast, the couple got engaged on the air in the middle of the night. “That [highlight is] hard to top,” he says.

Here are a few new discoveries Solomon is looking forward to including in 2023:

Rock ’n’ Roll Santa Sings Christmas – “A French garage rock compilation I’d missed until now.” 

Resound Presents: A Very Homie Holiday – “A contemporary collection of mostly Texas-based artists. Lots of excellent originals and well-chosen covers.”

DJ Tenderloin – “[He] has recorded many incredible mashups for the marathon. I’ll always rep his remarkable work!”

Tune into WPRB-FM on Christmas Eve to hear Solomon’s latest show. 

Do you have a favorite holiday song? Let us know in the comments below!